The Best Meat(less)balls

These vegan meatballs are perfect on top of spaghetti, in a sub or just on their own!

You will need:

• 8 oz extra firm tofu, patted dry
• 15 oz white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp cold water)
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• some water to blend (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper, to taste
•  8 oz marinara sauce (or other pasta sauce of choice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. To a large blender add tofu, beans, flax egg, soy sauce, yeast, tomato paste, garlic, parsley and paprika. Blend on a high setting until smooth, adding a minimal amount of water (start with 1 tbsp) if necessary.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Stir the blended mixture into the breadcrumbs to form a thick dough.
4. Roll 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined baking tray. You should have enough dough for about 20 meatballs.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, flipping halfway.
6. When the meatballs are ready, add marinara sauce to a large frying pan on medium low heat and bring to a simmer.
7. Simmer meatballs in sauce for about 5 minutes. Serve warm.
8. Note: If you do not plan on eating the meatballs right away, hold off on the last step as they will absorb the sauce and become a bit soggy.